


A Little Perpetuity Never Hurt Anyone

by nemo_baker



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Canon, Angst, Cute, Episode: Audio Drama: The House of the Dead, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 18:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4635654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nemo_baker/pseuds/nemo_baker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The prompt from <a href="http://jack-the-grump.tumblr.com/">jack-the-grump</a>: i wish you would write a fic where you write the alternate ending to house of the dead i sent you the other day</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Perpetuity Never Hurt Anyone

**Author's Note:**

> Another one for the "I wish you would write a fic where..." tumblr meme. [Original Post](http://stoatsandwich.tumblr.com/post/115856884621/send-me-an-anonymous-ask-completing-the-sentence)

Something in Jack’s voice gave it away. Ianto almost missed it, which was understandable with the multitude of other things he had to think about. For one, he was dead. With no recollection of how he got that way. For another, an ancient, nightmare creature was about to ascend to Earth and wreak havoc. And of course there was the fact that Jack had come back for him. Again. Had essentially recreated Ianto from the ashes of his memories so that he could say a proper goodbye.

Ianto wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

But he heard it, that lilt in Jack’s tone that spoke of finality. A satisfaction tinted with wild abandon. Ianto paused, catching Jack’s gaze as the wind howled and the House of the Dead fell slowly to pieces around them.

“You’re not planning on coming back, are you?” he said, realization dawning.

“No,” Jack replied. “It’ll be a pretty big bang.”

“You can’t die.”

“Next best thing. Eternal oblivion, lost in the space between worlds forever. And, come on. It’s quite a way to go,” Jack laughed, and it sounded manic. “I think I’ve lived long enough. I’ve seen you once more… what else is there?”

Ianto swallowed, hoping Jack would forgive one last lie.

“Well… we could just go.”

“What?”

The world still needed Jack Harkness, much more than Jack needed Ianto Jones. And Ianto would be damned if he let his lover die here.

“My dad said we could both leave together,” Ianto said evenly.

Jack laughed again. “Never… You’re kidding, right? You mean leave here?”

“Why not try it? The Rift, ancient evil, magic pebbles… just for once, let someone else deal with it.”

And for a moment, it looked as though Jack believed him. Hope shone in his eyes and Ianto’s heart fractured. He couldn’t imagine letting Jack walk away. He couldn’t imagine staying here, closing the Rift and getting himself killed a second time. But it was what he would have to do.

Except, Jack wasn’t agreeing. Or looking toward the exit to the pub. He was shaking his head, stepping toward Ianto and taking his hand.

“Ianto Jones,” he chuckled. “Still trying to protect me, even from beyond the grave.”

“I–”

“You’re not as good a liar when you’re scared.”

Ianto could feel tears building in his eyes. “Jack, you can’t–”

“I went for six months without hearing your voice,” Jack said. “Without seeing your smile, or being able to hold you. Six months of going to sleep in an empty bed.”

Ianto felt his breath catch in his throat as Jack leaned in close. Lips brushed gently against his cheek.

“It was too long, Ianto,” Jack rasped. “I’ve lived for millenia, but I can’t stand another minute without you. I love you... so much.”

“I love you, too,” Ianto said, wrapping his arms around Jack. “I love you, too.”

They stayed there, among the empty tables and broken mugs, and a horrible screech filled the air. Jack pressed the pebbles into Ianto’s hand, and squeeze tightly.

Everything went white.

\---

Ianto blinked confusedly, then pulled away from Jack a little.

“I thought you said we were headed for eternal oblivion,” he accused.

Jack appeared to be equally bewildered. “That’s what what I _thought_...”

“You’re not really supposed to be _aware_ of things in oblivion.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of the point. So where are we?”

“Well. It looks like space.”

Star-like pinpricks of light were scattered around, winking at them through a wide expanse of black that didn’t seem to end. They were suspended in the blackness, still clinging to each other. Ianto reached out tentatively, watching his pale fingers pass through one of the lights. It felt warm.

“You’re right,” Jack murmured. He kept hold of Ianto’s hand, and leaned back to look around. “But it can’t be space. We’re in the Void.”

Ianto shrugged. “Maybe the Void is like space.”

“Dunno.”

“So, are we… trapped here?”

“Possibly?”

“Okay… but you can’t die and I don’t actually exist–”

“You seem pretty existent to me,” Jack countered, tapping Ianto’s shoulder.

“Fair enough,” Ianto conceded. “But what does this mean? Will we eventually fade out completely, or are we just going to float around forever?”

It was Jack’s turn to shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Ianto huffed. “Right.”

At least, he told himself, it was a beautiful view. Ianto could see entire galaxies stretched across the sky, burning in a rainbow of luminescent hues. Stars appeared and disappeared, exploding into sparkling clouds before his eyes.

He was watching the marvels of the universe passing. And with Jack, he would have someone to discuss them with. Someone who could tell him hundreds of years worth of stories about worlds he’d never seen, and people he could only dream of. He looked towards Jack again, and saw him smiling slightly as a supernova came into sight.

“I suppose,” Ianto murmured. “This wouldn’t be a bad way to spend an eternity.”

Jack nodded, looking at Ianto with an expression of pure wonder.

“Not bad at all.”  



End file.
